New Europe: France + The far right | The Guardianhttps://www.theguardian.com/world/series/new-europe-france+far-right
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The appeal of far-right soft populism | Guy Sormanhttps://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/belief/2011/mar/30/far-right-soft-populism-appeal
In France, as in the rest of Europe, the far right's 'softening' is attracting disillusioned voters and making it hard to ignore<p>The central paradox of French politics was confirmed once again on 27 March. In a nationwide vote to select local authorities (the so called <a href="http://www.conseil-general.com/" title="Conseiller gnral website">conseiller général</a>), the far-right National Front <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/mar/28/french-local-election-gains-socialists" title="Guardian: 'French local election gains for socialists and far-right'">gained 11% of the votes cast</a>, but secured only 0.1% of the seats.</p><p>This discrepancy between the National Front's popular strength and its actual representation has been a permanent feature of French politics since Jean-Marie Le Pen established the party 40 years ago. But Le Pen was replaced in January by his no less charismatic daughter, <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/mar/21/marine-lepen-defends-republic" title="Guardian: 'Marine Le Pen emerges from father's shadow'">Marine</a>. And, with that change, the fate of the Front may be changing, too.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/belief/2011/mar/30/far-right-soft-populism-appeal">Continue reading...</a>The far rightFranceJean-Marie Le PenEuropeNicolas SarkozyWorld newsWed, 30 Mar 2011 10:36:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/belief/2011/mar/30/far-right-soft-populism-appealPhotograph: Sipa Press / Rex FeaturesMarine Le Pen … softening the hard right. Photograph: Sipa Press/Rex FeaturesPhotograph: Sipa Press / Rex FeaturesMarine Le Pen … softening the hard right. Photograph: Sipa Press/Rex FeaturesGuy Sorman2011-03-30T10:36:00ZCan Jean-François Copé save France from anti-Muslim extremism?https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/mar/24/jean-francois-cope-tackling-french-extremism
The secretary-general of French president Nicolas Sarkozy's party may have the most difficult job in the country<p>Jean-François Copé leans back and contemplates the Zorro-masked crusader figurine on his desk. "My mother bought it for me when I joined the government," he says. "Because Zorro fights injustice and when he's knocked off his horse, he gets straight back on. And now I've got Napoleon next to him," he adds, rearranging a plastic Bonaparte.</p><p>Copé, dubbed Sarkozilla for his killer political ambition, is the man with the most difficult task in France.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/mar/24/jean-francois-cope-tackling-french-extremism">Continue reading...</a>Nicolas SarkozyIslamReligionThe far rightFranceWorld newsEuropeThu, 24 Mar 2011 15:00:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/mar/24/jean-francois-cope-tackling-french-extremismPhotograph: Robert FrankenbergJean-Francois Copé, head of the UMP party, at its headquarters in Paris. Photograph: Robert FrankenbergPhotograph: Robert FrankenbergJean-Francois Copé, head of the UMP party, at its headquarters in Paris. Photograph: Robert FrankenbergAngelique Chrisafis in Paris2011-03-24T15:00:00ZDominique Strauss-Kahn - is this the man to defeat Sarkozy?https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/mar/24/new-europe-france-french-left
The French left may yet lose to the most unpopular president in the history of the fifth republic<p>By any normal reckoning, the French left should be on the verge of an electoral breakthrough. Nicolas Sarkozy is the most unpopular president in the 50-odd-year history of France's fifth republic. Damned as the bling-bling "president of the rich" who championed the market on the eve of its greatest crisis in the postwar era, barely one in five think he's doing a good job.</p><p>There is even speculation that he may not stand for a second term. And whatever bounce the embattled president might derive from his new role as a war leader in the Libyan conflict is thought unlikely to last. But although the main opposition Socialist party led the field in countrywide local elections last Sunday with 25% of the vote, while Sarkozy's centre-right Union for a Popular Movement scored a humiliating 17%, it was the far-right National Front that registered the strongest advance, coming in less than two percentage points behind the ruling party. Already the Sarkozy camp is in disarray about how to respond to the front's success, having failed to win back supporters with attacks on multiculturalism, an anti-Roma migrant campaign and a legal ban on the Islamic face veil. In some polls, the front's new leader, Marine Le Pen, was ranked second for the crucial runoff in next year's presidential elections.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/mar/24/new-europe-france-french-left">Continue reading...</a>Dominique Strauss-KahnNicolas SarkozyWorld newsThe far rightFranceEuropeThu, 24 Mar 2011 08:00:05 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/mar/24/new-europe-france-french-leftPhotograph: Arnd Wiegmann/REUTERSDominique Strauss-Kahn, head of the IMF, may be the French left's best hope for unseating Nicolas Sarkozy Photograph: Arnd Wiegmann/REUTERSPhotograph: Arnd Wiegmann/REUTERSDominique Strauss-Kahn, head of the IMF, may be the French left's best hope for unseating Nicolas Sarkozy Photograph: Arnd Wiegmann/REUTERSSeumas Milne2011-03-24T08:00:05ZNot Sarkozy's finest hour | Pierre Haskihttps://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/mar/21/not-sarkozys-finest-hour-le-pen
France's war leader has found his real enemy is at home – in the shape of a new, female Le Pen<p>The flavour of defeat … not in Libya, where <a href="http://www.suite101.com/content/french-rafale-fighter-jets-attack--destroy-libyan-targets-a360305" title="">French Rafale jets were the first sent into Gaddafi's airspace</a> on Saturday, but in French polling booths. For Nicolas Sarkozy it was a strange weekend, starting with a self-confident president wearing his new clothes as commander-in-chief, and ending with what must have felt like betrayal from his fellow citizens.</p><p>The clear winner of the <em>élections cantonales</em>, a local government poll seen as a test almost a year before the presidential election, is not the left – although it came out leading: <a href="http://www.france24.com/en/20110321-french-local-elections-socialist-party-far-right-national-front-ump-sarkozy" title="">it is Marine Le Pen</a>, the leader of the far-right anti-immigration National Front. For the first time, the party created by her father came out neck and neck with the president's UMP – which in more than 50 constituencies didn't even make it to the second round.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/mar/21/not-sarkozys-finest-hour-le-pen">Continue reading...</a>Nicolas SarkozyFranceJean-Marie Le PenThe far rightEuropeWorld newsMon, 21 Mar 2011 21:00:04 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/mar/21/not-sarkozys-finest-hour-le-penPierre Haski2011-03-21T21:00:04ZMarine Le Pen emerges from father's shadowhttps://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/mar/21/marine-lepen-defends-republic
<em>Le Pen fille </em>says she'll lead the Front National into the battle for republican values in France<strong></strong><p>Marine Le Pen surveys the mountain of letters on her desk, complaining she's run out of autographed photos to send to fans. Although Le Pen fires handguns at shooting ranges for a hobby, Sarah Palin isn't an idol. Instead, she gestures out of the office window to a statue of Joan of Arc, the mascot of the Front National, which for decades under Le Pen's father, Jean-Marie, was the most successful far-right, xenophobic party in western Europe. Under the new leadership of "Le Pen, Fille", the party headquarters on a grey suburban street in Nanterre has been decorated with national symbols: a towering fibreglass French cockerel stands guard over a rockery.</p><p>But on her office wall, to emphasise Le Pen's plea that she is not antisemitic, is an abstract painting by an Israeli artist and friend. "It's called the top of the world because that's where she said I was aiming ... well maybe not that high! Ha!" Le Pen throws her head back and delivers her trademark Sid James laugh.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/mar/21/marine-lepen-defends-republic">Continue reading...</a>FranceThe far rightNicolas SarkozyIslamMarine Le PenMon, 21 Mar 2011 19:48:53 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/mar/21/marine-lepen-defends-republicPhotograph: Robert Frankenberg/GuardianMarine Le Pen says she wants to soften her party's image. Photograph: Robert Frankenberg for the GuardianPhotograph: Robert Frankenberg/GuardianMarine Le Pen says she wants to soften her party's image. Photograph: Robert Frankenberg for the GuardianAngelique Chrisafis in Paris2011-03-21T19:48:53Z